To put it simply, we believe "Craft Beer" is the art and science of making better beers. It involves the passion, innovation and technique of the brewer to reinvent time tested styles or create new styles.

Craft brewers, in general, will spare no expenses to produce their beers. The brewmaster select ingredients of the finest quality, carefully supervises production, and avoid the use of cost-cutting techniques and ingredients. All for the sole purpose of maximizing the flavor, appearance and aroma of the beer.

The table below shows a simple comparison between craft beer and mass produced beer. It's purpose is not to show that craft beer is a better choice over mass market beer. They serve two different market segments and two different purposes.

CRAFT BREWER: An American craft brewer is small, independent, and traditional.

Small = Annual production of beer less than 2 million barrels. Beer production is attributed to a brewer, according to the rules of alternating proprietorships. FMBs (Flavored Malt Beverages) are not considered beer, for purposes of this definition.

Independent = Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.

Traditional = A brewer who has either an all-malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewer's brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers that use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

Source: BREWERS ASSOCIATION

CRAFT BEER

MACRO OR INDUSTRIAL BEER

Handcrafted in small batches

Mass produced

Brewed for maximum taste and aroma

Likely to be served at a temperature so cold that the aromas and flavors are subdued

Available in over 70 different beer styles

Tends to be confined within the pale Lager category.

Usually available in single or 6 packs in bottle form. Vintage types are also available and would be good for cellaring

Available in single, 6 packs to 24-cartons in cans and bottles form

May taste different over different production batches. This is because craft brewers tend to put priority on great tasting beer than being consistent.

Excellent quality control. This is because when dealing with a product with a light taste, any fluctuation from the norm could be highly noticable

Ingredient selection is an integral part of the craft brewing process as is the purity of yeasts or other cultures

Brewed with more common ingredients and may contain rice or corn, artificial color, artificial flavors, thickeners or extracts

Tends to be not pasteurized as pasteurization tends to dull the flavour, flatten the taste and interfere with the carbonation process